NEW statistics released by the Ipswich City Council has revealed more than 400 new businesses registered within one month.
In January there were 415 new businesses in Ipswich.
About 21 per cent of all registered Ipswich businesses are in the construction industry.
Manufacturing, at 15 per cent, is the largest employer of residents followed by healthcare, 13 per cent and retail 12 per cent.
The defence industry is the region’s second-largest export industry, worth $600 million, to Ipswich.
Planning, Development and Heritage chair Councillor David Morrison said the statistics showed Ipswich was living in an exciting and prosperous time.
“Residential growth coupled with business growth is very healthy signs for a city,” he said.
“Ipswich City has many frontiers of growth and this growth brings many challenges.”
Cr Morrison said the region needed a collaborative approach to dealing with the challenges.
“Council is doing its best in keeping up with its infrastructure delivery responsibilities and I call on both the state and federal governments to help with vital infrastructure,” he said.
“I would love the State Government to announce a time frame on the much-needed delivery of rail from Springfield Central to Redbank Plains and Ripley and I support the call for the Federal Government to fund an interchange between the Cunningham Highway and Ipswich Rosewood Rd.
I also encourage residents to take time and explore the conservation reserves that council has purchased for this and future generations.
Ipswich Business Enterprise Centre general manager Michael Crowley said there was an increasing level of business confidence in the city.
“I have seen businesses we’ve helped in previous years are now really starting to build,” he said.
“People who have been in business for a few years are experiencing an upswing.
“It is very encouraging to see people hiring extra staff, taking on apprentices or moving into a larger premises.”
Mr Crowley’s part-time involvement in the enterprise centre has kept growth stable.
“For us, there hasn’t been a great deal of change,” he said.
“The people who are coming to me are still very much the micro-business or small business trying to get started.”
Originally Published: www.qt.com.au